Europe consults on internet futures

The EU is launching an ‘unprecedented’ public consultation to find out what Europeans fear most about the future of the internet, reports the Guardian. “A succession of surveys over the coming weeks will ask people for their views on everything from privacy and security to artificial intelligence, net neutrality, big data and the impact of the digital world on jobs, health, government and democracy.” A dozen European publications, including the Guardian, are to publicise the surveys over the coming three weeks. Results will be compiled in early June. The project is being led by REIsearch, a non-profit initiative co-funded by the European Commission. The aim is to give policymakers a better sense of public priorities in their decision-making. “The European Commission is often criticised for being too detached from popular sentiment and preoccupation.” The newspapers and publications involved are Der Standard, El País, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, La Libre Belgique, Gazeta Wyborcza, Luxemburger Wort, Público, Il Sole 24 Ore, The Lancet, Cell and the Guardian. It’s part of the Commission’s Next Generation Internet Initiative. Read more (Guardian) and see here (Next Generation Internet).